Full FeedImportant Importables: Dating games for guys
Important Importables has always offered substantial coverage of various otome, that is life/dating sim games for girls, due to the fact that I enjoy playing most of those games. But those aren’t the only kind of dating sim style games in Japan. In fact, there are likely far more dating sims geared towards guys available than there are ones for girls.
So, this week Important Importables is going to briefly look at some of the Japanese dating sim games released for guys. We’ll briefly look at the types of Japanese games released, then also talk about some games released in English that either fit, or loosely fit, the genre. If you’re one of this column’s male readers (who are probably thinking “Finally!”), perhaps you’ll hear about a title or series that may interest you.
Popular Japanese franchises
There are basically two kinds of dating sims, visual novels and adventure games with some sort of other, relationship building element. The visual novels are easily the best known and most prevalent in the genre. Think of them as choose your own adventure novels in a game format. You end up doing a substantial amount of reading to progress through the story and see CG scenes. Memories Off, Sentimental Graffiti, Days of Memories and Clannad all fall into this section. Usually these games have incredibly elaborate stories and intricate characters. They aren’t very import friendly, though, due to the substantial amounts of text. They also often receive Cero C ratings, meaning they are for players over 15.
If you see Days of Memories 2 for the DS and purchase it, be aware that one of the games in this collection, Days of Memories: Kare to Watashi no Atsui Natsu is a girl’s dating sim, where girls have the opportunity to win over a guy from SNK’s King of Fighters series. Days of Memories: Koi wa Good Job and Days of Memories: Junbaku no Tenshitachi both are for guys and have various SNK famous females from games like King of Fighters and Fatal Fury as available bachelorettes.
There are also more interactive games, which involve actually working on a character’s traits, or performing actions other than just reading and picking a possibly correct response to continue the story. The Tokimeki Memorial series is, quite possibly, the most famous and most import friendly game of this type. You imrpove your character, talk to dateable prospects, give gifts and basically live a brief high school life. Some of the Love Hina video games also were more interactive. Even the Idolm@ster series could fall into this category, since you’re trying to make the idols you’re working with your friends so they’ll be better performers.
English language alternatives
If you’d rather play a game with dating sim in Japanese (and isn’t hentai/adult, which we’ll get to a bit later in the article), then you’ll have to settle for games with dating sim elements.
The best example of an English language dating sim was the PS1 game Thousand Arms, released by Atlus. It was a fairly standard RPG, except to forge stronger and better weapons, you’d have to go on dates with, and raise the affections of, the female characters in your party. Due to the way the game was made, the dating as an intrical part of the game experience.
There are quite a few other English games with these same elements, though they aren’t as prominent in other titles. The Harvest Moon and Rune Factory games both provide players with the opportunity to date and get married. Also, both Persona 3 and Persona 4 give players the opportunity to begin relationships with female social link characters. Even the Star Ocean games, in particular Star Ocean: The Second Story/Second Evolution and Star Ocean: Till the End of Time, players’ actions in battle and decisions in Private Action scenes can result in an ending with another party member.
Ahem… more “mature” options
Personally, I’m not into the adult games. I’ve never played them and they’re of absolutely no interest to me. But, they do represent both a large and popular division of dating video games for guys. Most often, these 18+ hentai games are released in PC format.
If you’re a guy looking for a game like this, then checking JList’s http://www.jlist.com/HENTAI/ (Note: link is not safe for work) game section would probably be your best bet. JList offers a wide selection of translated adult games and direct download purchases. Some of the newer hentai/bishojo game additions to the site include Snow Sakura (a visual novel style game) and Princess Waltz (part card game, part dating sim), and JList is also accepting preorders for the visual novels Cosplay Academy and Family Project.
JList is also still having a game sale on select hentai/bishojo PC dating games. Select JList PC dating games are currently $5 off. If you buy two games, you get a Hirameki game free. If you buy four, you get two Hirameki games free.
Some other famous adult visual novels include To Heart, Air, Fate/stay night, Kanon, Welcome to Pia Carrot, Tsukihime, Nanatsuiro Drops, Shuffle! and . There were some non-adult releases of these games though, like in the case of Welcome to Pia Carrot 2.2 (GBC), Air (PC, Dreamcast, PS2), Kanon (PC, Dreamcast, PS2, PSP) and Nanatsuiro Drops (DS). There have also been Fate/Unlimited and Fate/Tiger fighting games released by Capcom that do not fall in this category.
COMING NEXT WEEK: Important Portables looks at the Suikoden III manga.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Last week Important Importables reviewed La Corda d’Oro for the PSP.
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Important Importables
Jenni Lada brings us information about all of the groovy new gaming imports from around the world.
I remember Thousand Arms being a lot of fun..and also my first encounter with pop sensation Ayumi Hamasaki. I picked up Days of Memories 2 just so I could win the affections of Rock Howard….he’s so dreamy :P
on January 9, 2009 at 11:45 AM - LINKI had Thousand Arms too! I never got past the part with the pirates though.
If I were to get Days of Memories 2, it would be for Iori and Alba. They’re just awesome! XD At least, in the fighting games they are.
on January 9, 2009 at 01:20 PM - LINKMy brother was a huge fan of Dating Sim games. I can name a dozen that he had.
I am rather surprised that you forgot to mention the other huge dating sim/strategy game though as even though it’s Japanese it’s exceptionally famous. The series being Sakura Wars. In fact I think the fifth game is finally heading over here sometime this year.
Thousand Arms wasn’t very good in my opinion but I did love Star Ocean: The Second Story.
Also another game, if you like the genre, that I hugely recommend and is now available on the DS is the Summon Night series of games.
They are quite unique as they have both endings for all the male and female characters that join you depending on who you pick as the main character. If you pick the male character as the main lead then you can end up with any of the male characters that join you and vice versa if you pick the female lead character. I especially love the second game in the series and the ending CG of the characters is gorgeous.
The first two games (which are a port of the PSX versions) are strategy games whereas the later games on the GBA/DS are more action orientated like Star Ocean.
I’ll shut up now. I’ve rambled on for far too long ^^v.
on February 27, 2009 at 08:19 PM - LINK@ Amy: Very true, and good examples.
I didn’t mention Sakura Wars because I’m planning on doing a full column devoted to the series in a few weeks/months.
As for Summon Knight - totally slipped my mind. I feel bad because I did play the first GBA one released in the US and adored it! XD I got to play the DS one released in the US as well and enjoyed it as well. I can’t believe I forgot to mention that series! Good catch!
on February 27, 2009 at 10:56 PM - LINKHi Jenni,
My friend had a GBA and had the first Summon Night game for it. Sadly I found the game a bit boring and lacking in gameplay.
I much prefer the original series with the strategy style gameplay in the same vein as Sakura Wars. RPGs, Dating Sims and Strategy games are my favorite genres.
I do highly recommend the first two PSX games and they have been ported over to the DS as well. I especially recommend the second game since it has far more characters and consequently more endings.
I’m not sure how faithful the port would be though. I’d imagine it would be mostly complete. The only thing missing (which for me was part of it’s charm) would be the seiyuu. The PSX games had full voice acting in them whereas I’m guessing the DS won’t have much.
on February 28, 2009 at 01:53 PM - LINKI have a thing for Tales of style fighting, so I really enjoyed the Summon Night on GBA.
I’m hoping Atlus comes through on the DS ports of the PSX games. After all, it’s come through with the other Summon Night games.
You should check out the two GBA Fire Emblem games, if you like strategy games with relationship elements. Units that fight next to each other in battle may develop support relationships, and many of them can be romantic. These units then get special endings at the end where they end up together. Sadly, the GC, Wii and DS Fire Emblems don’t have that same support element. It’s totally absent in the DS version.
on February 28, 2009 at 05:34 PM - LINKFunny you should mention that as I adore the Fire Emblem series as well as the Japanese only TearRing Saga which had the same creator.
I forget the name of it but I think it was number 4 that was the best on the SNES. I loved the way you paired up the characters for the first half of the game and then played as their children in the second half.
The GBA games are fun too. The first one to come out in America being my favorite and I adored the pictures too. Hector/Lyn was the pairing I liked but Hector/Florina was cute too.
on February 28, 2009 at 06:51 PM - LINK